View Full Version : Daughter has had cough for over 6 weeks. Really panicking.
My daughter started off the summer holidays with a cold that she caught from me and had a really bad cough where she was coughing near enough constantly. So much so that she was sleeping downstairs as she was keeping everyone awake until she fell asleep. Her cough improved but after 4 weeks she still had it so I phoned 111 as I started panicking that she had leukaemia because of some bruises that she had on her legs that I’ve since realised were from going the beach the week before. A nurse from 111 phoned me back the next day and spoke to my daughter on the phone. The nurse said she wasn’t concerned as she was fine in herself and not breathless and she should drink more and also that it could be hayfever but said that she’d recommend a doctor see her to listen to her chest. I phoned the doctors and they could only book me an appt at urgent care to see a nurse practitioner. When we got there she was seen by two nurses (one was training) who checked her chest, temp and pulse etc and said everything seemed fine and that viral coughs can take a while to clear and that it was good it was getting better but to see a doctor if it gets worse or doesn’t go away after 4 weeks
Fast forward two and a half weeks and even though she didn’t cough for nearly ten hours yesterday and she said that she’s hardly coughed today she’s been coughing loads since she’s got home. I genuinely can’t cope with it anymore as every time she coughs I worry that she’s got some sort of cancer or tumour. Writing it down it sounds ridiculous but it’s what my head thinks every time.
I felt a bit better when my youngest daughter caught it after a couple of days sleeping next to her on holiday as it proved that it was just viral but if that’s the case why had it not gone as her cough went after about ten days. She said she feels like she has rubbish in her throat but I’ve tried honey and piriton and it’s not worked but she’s still not drinking much water just fizzy drinks.
I’ve googled and even though the most common cause is post nasal drip and other benign reasons I’ve focused in on the worst case scenario. I just want it to stop.
It could very well be allergies. But some people have coughs for a long while after a cold is gone. I know I cough for weeks after, I get that dry feeling in my throat and just can't stop. My mom is the same. I think you are fine to listen to the advice you were given; if it's not better in a few weeks have it checked again.
Do any kind of cough syrups seem to help?
Thank you for replying. The cough medicine I had didn’t seem to make much difference but I guess I could try it again and see. I really thought after she didn’t cough yesterday for so long it was gone and then when she said she hardly had at school I was so relieved.
I can’t cope with this anymore. She hardly coughed till bedtime and then she’s just come downstairs with all blood down her as she’s had a big nosebleed. I asked her if she’s been picking her nose and she said no at first but eventually she said she did this afternoon with a tissue but my heads telling me it must be Leukemia. I’m so scared. I was starting to feel happier earlier this evening as she hadn’t coughed for a while and I was beginning to feel stupid for worrying so much and then this happens like it does every time I let myself feel any sort of happiness. Why does something out there hate me so much. I feel like everything is going to be taken away from me.
All I’ve done last night and this morning is google leukaemia symptoms which has obviously reinforced my belief. I’m trying to be rational as it says persistent infections that don’t go away but it’s just mucus that is left that she’s trying to cough up and even though it says nose bleeds when I’ve looked at criteria for a referral it says unexplained bleeding but she picked her nose a few hours before and I’d heard her sneeze so maybe that was the reason? My husband said it was ridiculous and I’ve agreed to see how she is and if she still has a cough next Wed I’ll take her the doctors but this anxiety is unbearable. I just want this cough to stop and for her to be okay.
Stop googling, you know it's making you worse. If you can't stop yourself maybe ask your husband to adjust the settings so you can't access medical sites.
The nosebleed is just a result of picking her nose and sneezing later on. With the coughing, it's always worse when you lie down, prop her up in bed until it goes.
Stop googling, you know it's making you worse. If you can't stop yourself maybe ask your husband to adjust the settings so you can't access medical sites.
The nosebleed is just a result of picking her nose and sneezing later on. With the coughing, it's always worse when you lie down, prop her up in bed until it goes.
Im not Googling as much now and yesterday she said she only coughed at school once but she was coughing a little bit in the evening and I heard her a couple of times through the night. This morning she’s coughing a lot so feel like we’re back at square one. My other daughter is still coughing occasionally but nowhere near as bad. Why isn’t it going away? I really thought after she hardly coughed last weekend that it was on the way out. It’s going to be 8 weeks next week and I’m losing my mind. I was bad enough when she had it for 4 weeks. I’ve even been feeling suicidal because of it all. The anxiety I feel every time she coughs is unbearable. Even my other daughter has asked why it bothers me so much as she can see how it’s worrying me.
My concern is for you. Kids get colds, coughs and all sorts of illnesses. The fact you're severely over-reacting to the point of feeling suicidal is very concerning. In addition, the fact your children see this is just as concerning. Please reach out for some real life help with this. No words on a forum are going to reassure you enough to let this go.
FMP
Thank you Fishmanpa. Everything you say is so true. I’m trying to get help but I can’t be seen by a cbt counsellor till December. I’ve tried self help audio books and workshops and been in touch with a couple of online/text helplines. I went the doctors nearly two weeks ago who said to come back in a couple of weeks if I still felt the same and she’d refer me to a psychiatrist but I know from last time they were useless and just told me to google online therapy. I feel as though I’m running out of options. All I want is for these thoughts to stop.
You probably need medicine (antidepressive) along with the CBT therapy. I am not sure to what psychiatrist you went to, but Googling online therapy is definitely not an advice from a good one.
Try to focus your energy on finding a good psychiatrist near by as that is what you need right now.
You probably need medicine (antidepressive) along with the CBT therapy. I am not sure to what psychiatrist you went to, but Googling online therapy is definitely not an advice from a good one.
Try to focus your energy on finding a good psychiatrist near by as that is what you need right now.
Ive been back on sertraline for a couple of months but it’s not working.
Maybe you need a different one or a higher dose. Only a doctor can determine that.
Lucky for you, your daughter is fine so try to take care of yourself.
Maybe you need a different one or a higher dose. Only a doctor can determine that.
Lucky for you, your daughter is fine so try to take care of yourself.
I wish I could convince myself that she’s fine. Everything just seems to be getting worse. She’s been complaining today of a pain in her side all day, her hand is hurting and she said she’s had a headache and felt sick all day. She’s been coughing since getting home as well even though she says it’s been okay at school. Why is there always something wrong? I thought I’d do an experiment and tried to think positive on the way to pick her up as usually when I do this things go wrong but wanted prove myself wrong like my counsellors used to try and get me to do but it obviously hasn’t worked.
I’ve been breaking down at work and they’ve sent me the details to refer myself through work for counselling. I just can’t see how things are ever going to get better.
Honestly think I’d be better off dead than feeling like this everyday. My youngest was suffering with her anxiety last night and pleading with me not to leave her and saying she always wants to be with me so how can I think like this but I feel like it’s the only option for me. It’s torturing my brain the thought of cancer from the second I wake up to when I close my eyes at night.
You need to see doctor asap
You need to see doctor asap
I’ve seen the doctor this morning and she’s made me feel even more anxious. She’s obsessed with my thyroid and seems to think it might be related to that even though I told her I’ve been anxious since I was little so it’s not a new thing. I told her it’s all been checked out and was fine. She mentioned having a blood test and I said I couldn’t do it (she sent me for one to check my thyroid a few years ago and it gave me so much anxiety as I needed a repeat done for blood sugars). She looked at me as though I’d fallen out of a tree and couldn’t understand why I’d refuse it.
I to,d her about the thoughts I was having and said I just wanted someone to tell me that me and my girls wouldn’t get cancer. She asked if they were under a consultant and I said they weren’t so she said they were probably fine but I said they weren’t as they have headaches and aches and pains. She said that I needed to get them seen by a doctor but I told her I’d be in all the time as there’s always something wrong and it would fuel my anxiety. She said again that if they have headaches and pains they should be checked. I told her that sometimes they have a headache one day and it’s gone the next and that if it persisted I obviously would but it’s really frightened me now. Surely everyone doesn’t go in the doctors with their children for everything? I rarely see children at the doctors when I go just elderly people.
Shes referred me to a psychiatrist because of my thoughts and going to ask the well-being centre if they can move my appt forward.
I’ve got home and my youngest who is off school with the runs has said she’s got a headache. She also had one yesterday so I’m really anxious again.
It's good that you will go to a psychiatrist. Kids get headache, they cough, they get sick. It's normal. Your reaction to their health is not so going to doctor is the best option.
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